


Wed Me Tender

by wulfpup



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Drama & Romance, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Shameless Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:28:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 16,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24713089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wulfpup/pseuds/wulfpup
Summary: When Baekhyun is not advocating for democracy as a student union leader, he is to be found up in the hills at his grandmother's, tending to her pigs, complaining about notgetting enough sleep.He becomes famous overnight when the Cambridge educated Second Prince of Korea,Chanyeol, nicknamed the Elusive Prince, announces their upcoming wedding in nationaltelevision.The only flaw - Baekhyun has never met the Prince before, or so he thinks.Also featuring King Jae Suk as Baekhyun's hapless father in law, Halmoni Hyoyeon as  Baekhyun's saucy grandmother, Kim Jongdae as the snooping reporter and PrincessKrystal as the diva of all divas.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol
Comments: 17
Kudos: 135





	1. Prince Finds A Match

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is a reupload. 
> 
> Wed Me Tender is a story most of you have already read and are familiar with. I'm putting it back up on the Archive for, well, archival purposes. It was written a whole era ago, some scenes feel childish but I won't touch anything. I won't touch the original story, won't change dialogues or facts or descriptions, except add a few scenes in the later portion of the story (which I will indicate). The original story will remain the same, untouched.
> 
> If you have read it once already, you need not read it again, not yet, maybe towards the end when I add extra scenes including their honeymoon, maybe 👀🤔
> 
> To the lovely readers with hearts of gold, this fic is dedicated to all of you.

_“The minute I heard my first love story, I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was.  
Lovers don't finally meet somewhere. They’re in each other all along.”  
\- Rumi_

Baekhyun’s grandmother was a force of nature - a frail lady, perennially complaining about her aching hip, but with steel in her innards. The silver knot of hair perched on top of her head could fool anyone into thinking she was a soft spoken woman. _Halmoni,_ they called her. That's right. The tiny locality nestled in the mountains collectively liked to call Byun Hyoyeon as _halmoni._

_Baekhyun’s grandmother, Baekhyun’s grandmother,_ they called her, as she made her rounds around the market, catching up with the other vendors while keeping a watchful eye on her own vegetable stall. Yixing was a good helping hand, not a slacker like her own grandson, but the boy was a dreamy sort. His head remained in the clouds. 

Her own grandson was no better, harbouring idealistic dreams of transforming their country into a democratic republic, vocally opposing the monarchs that had reigned supreme in their country for several ages now.

Baekhyun was a student activist, a student union leader, a crowd favorite poster boy for those who demanded the same things as Baekhyun - democracy and an end to the centuries old monarchy. A country without princesses and princes - Byun Hyoyeon had never heard of the like.

Crown Prince Junmyeon, the next in line to the throne, was a favourite among her peers in the market. All the ahjummas liked the young prince, gentle and able, soft spoken and good looking. When he gave speeches on the national broadcaster at Chuseok, the formidable ladies of the market ganged up against Kwangsoo, the CD shop owner, and bullied him into setting up his LCD TV outside his shop so that everyone could cheer for the Crown Prince. 

It was a nation of people who loved their monarchs, it was also a nation where a growing sense of dissatisfaction had begun to creep in among the youth.

Where Crown Prince Junmyeon united the marketplace, his wife Princess Krystal divided the vendors into debate groups. Some liked her, many didn't. Everyone agreed that she resembled the goddesses of old folklore.

Prince Sehun, or the Third Prince as he was called by the media, read paparazzi, was another hot topic of debate among Baekhyun’s grandmother’s circles. They agreed that the Third Prince was handsome, but disagreed with his lifestyle. A student of Princeton University, Sehun was always in the news for his partying and philandering ways. 

“It's the absence of a mother’s shadow.” the old ladies would nod sagaciously. Queen Hyuna had died at childbirth. 

“It's scandalous. This manner of lifestyle gives our youth added reason to demand democracy in the country.” 

Here, _halmoni’s_ clique would pause to throw snide looks at her. _Halmoni_ would seethe inside. Her grandson was one of the most vocal members of the youth movement demanding a change in the system. 

_Halmoni_ would quickly veer the topic to the Second Prince then, a subject that was sure to take the attention away from her own good for nothing grandson. 

The Second Prince was an enigma. He did not appear on the national television, nor did he appear in Page Three articles. They knew very little about the Second Prince, except that he had been accepted at Cambridge University.

The Second Prince of the country obsessed with its royals had decided to study abroad so that his life could be free from scrutiny. He took part in UN conventions and represented his nation in many a fora. They knew he was well spoken and charismatic. Foreign media described him as a natural born leader, a charismatic personality, a philanthropist and someone who could usher South Korea in the 21st century. However, his team ensured that none of that made it to the photo section of any newspaper.

The Second Prince was an enigma through and through

_Halmoni’s_ circle did not know what the Second Prince looked like. It sat ill with them. How were they to judge who was the better looking of the three princes if one of them was so adamant about hiding his face from the general public? The reclusive Prince, they named him. 

The late afternoon lull in the marketplace was of course to be filled with such idle grandma's gossip. Prince Sehun would have won the better looking battle among _halmoni_ ’s clique, but his ways did not curry favour among the old ladies. So, for the time being, they settled on the Crown Prince. 

Settle they will, for two more weeks, until the Second Prince blared into their homes through their dusty television sets, announcing his plans to wed a childhood love.

The whole country would go into a mad frenzy at the regal countenance of Prince Chanyeol and over his announcement. 

News media would go into a tizzy.

“Prince Chanyeol to marry a commoner this November.”

“A royal wedding. A gay wedding?”

“Second Prince, also Prince of Hearts?”

“Prince Chanyeol ushers a new dawn for country by announcing same sex wedding.”

“Royal household gives nod to same sex wedding with Prince Chanyeol set to wed school sweetheart.”

“Prince Chanyeol hailed worldwide by gay rights activists.” - the headlines would read. 

Television channels would dispatch their OB vans to the far flung hills in order to get footage of the fiancé, the commoner, the other person apart from Prince Chanyeol who would capture the imagination of the nation. Reporters would crowd the sleepy village to interview its dwellers. Madness would ensue. 

And _halmoni_ would be in the eye of the storm. _Halmoni,_ who loved attention even at her ripe old age, would bring out her best pearls and wear her Sunday church clothes because it would be her grandson that the Second Prince would announce as his sweetheart for the world to hear. Her Baekhyun. Her Bobohu. 

The same Baekhyun who was giving the old lady so much grief so early this morning, totally unawares that he was very soon to become the nation's toast.

“Up you get, rascal, you have to feed the ducks and the pigs. They won't feed themselves, you know.”

“Ask Yixing to -” Baekhyun mumbled groggily, turning his head away from _halmoni._

_Halmoni_ gave a nice whack to Baekhyun’s bottom. “Up. Up.” she screeched, “Yixing left for town at the crack of dawn to get manure for the gourds.”

She drew the curtains open so that the morning sunshine could blind her only grandson.

“Poor child should have been my real grandson. Such a hard worker he is. Unlike you.” _Halmoni_ complained as she looked around for a broom to whack Baekhyun with. Baekhyun quickly sat up on the bed when he saw the old lady reaching for the broom with her gnarly fingers. 

“You make me work so hard.” he whined, scratching his neck, hair astray, “I swear I will stop visiting you altogether.”

That earned him another whack.

“People have to work hard to survive, Baekhyun. Food won't magically appear on your plate. Just because you are a mini celebrity in university does not mean you get to slack off at home.”

“You just love being hard on me because I protest against these rulers of yours, these kings you oldies fantasize about.”

A third whack.

“ _Halmoni.”_ Baekhyun protested, rubbing his non-existent bicep which was turning red now.

_Halmoni_ showed him her stained teeth as she grinned, “You can protest all you want, my princes are here to stay. The old ways are the better ways.”

“The old ways are the foolish ways. But you won't understand.” Baekhyun said resignedly, looking for his shoes under the bed. 

The pigs gave him a terrible time every morning, he _hated_ running after them.

“Monarchy has no place in the 21st century. We don't need to treat men as gods anymore. We are all equal and we ought to be given the chance to choose who shall lead the country.”

“Save these speeches for your stupid TV interviews.” _Halmoni_ was, as usual, unimpressed. “Have you seen Prince Junmyeon at all? It's as though the gods bestowed their divinity on him.”

Baekhyun gaped at his grandmother, knowing full well that she was not senile. “I would love to come to your market gatherings _halmoni._ What other things do you ladies talk about? Junmyeon’s dick size?”

A fourth whack landed on Baekhyun’s hastily retreating back. 

  
  


Mornings at his grandma’s place always followed the same pattern of them arguing over Baekhyun’s lack of energy in the morning. If truth be told, Baekhyun’s sleep only bid him goodbye when he got all charged up running after the pigs around the pen. 

Life in the faraway mountains was difficult. There was not much entertainment to be had up here and he did not grudge _halmoni’s_ circle their simplistic fawning over the royals. He visited as often as he could. _Halmoni_ made the best roasted potatoes in the world and Yixing was a delightful company. He wished he could say the same about _halmoni’s_ cackle of geese and ducks. 

He was as much loved by the folks in the village as _halmoni_ was. They lovingly called him Bobohu. It was a nickname whose origins were unknown. When someone in the village called after him to enquire about the current whereabouts of his parents, their location was unknown too.

“What do you mean you don't know where your parents are? If you don't, who will?” some nosey poker-ing lady would ask suspiciously after Baekhyun’s shrug. 

Baekhyun would scratch his head, and disturb his dirty mop of hair, “The last time we talked, they were doing their research in CERN. They have again gone underground for their research now. I couldn't get through to them the last time I called.” he would simper.

Baekhyun’s parents were physicists, truly dedicated to their field and so passionate about discovering more and more about dark matter that they had altogether forgotten about the other matter - their son. 

“Try and be like your parents, Bobohu. If you are even half of what they are -”

“If I am half of what they are, I would still be a Nobel prize winner. Hehe.” Baekhyun would joke, an old joke, an oft repeated joke to oft repeated words of advice. Both his parents were Nobel laureates, and in true Nobel laureate fashion, his parents were only devoted to their work.

The oldies in the village never got the joke but Baekhyun didn't stop trying either. He was happy that he met no such nosey parking _ahjummas_ during his walk to the market square this morning.

_Halmoni’s_ grandson was glad because today, he had said yes to Kim Jongdae for a phone in live interview. Screechy, loud Jongdae who worked for BBS News. _Halmoni_ must not know because he was yet again going to diss monarchy in the most viewed TV channel of the nation. 

Royal Broadcasting Station, RBS was the public broadcaster, but Bright Broadcasting Station, BBS was giving tough competition to it these days in terms of content and market appeal. BBS did the maximum interviews of student activists demanding change. Baekhyun had built a comfortable camaraderie with correspondent Kim Jongdae by now.

“Baekhyun, you have always been vocal about your strong stand against monarchy. Tell us how you feel after our latest scoop on the Royal Household’s age old connection with the Rothschilds.”

“I have said it time and again.” Baekhyun spoke into his mouthpiece confidently, he had done this innumerable times, “ ‘ _the palaces of kings are built on the ruins of the bowers of paradise’_ How can we trust in the sovereignty of our rulers if they themselves owe such huge sums to people like the Rothschilds? Is our King ruling the nation, or is he a puppet in the hands of a money lending puppeteer? These are very disturbing facts that BBS have brought forward, and as a nation filled with free thinking youth, we should question ourselves if now is not the time to bring in democracy?”

“Do you think democracy is the solution to all means of corruption? Do you think a democratically elected leader is free from outside interference, say for example, people who funded his campaign?” Jongdae, the anchor for the morning show, asked.

  
  


As Baekhyun and Jongdae debated over the pros and cons of democracy, several miles away, a different sort of debate was taking place over breakfast at the Eastern Palace.

The Second Prince, Prince Chanyeol, had point blank refused to marry the prime minister’s daughter. 

“Min Ah cannot tell the difference between Che Guevara and Fidel Castro. She thinks they are one and the same person. You cannot ask me to marry that girl, pretty though she is.”

King Jae Suk, without an audience and the crown atop his head, was just another doting father. He pinched the bridge of his nose in slight despair. Why were all his children determined to give him such a hard time?

“Chanyeol-ah, where do I find you another gem like Krystal? She’s the rare combination between brains and beauty among the nobles.”

Princess Krystal, pleased with such a pleasing description, bowed her head slightly at her father in law. Her husband, crown Prince Junmyeon, winked at her from behind his glass of milk.

Chanyeol did not lift his head up from his omelette. “Then find me a bride from among the commoners. I don't care.”

King Jae Suk made a face, “Don't act so nonchalant about it. It's your marriage, you should be excited about this. How can we just tie you to a person you have no interest in?”

Chanyeol looked up, “Then why badger me about marriage at all? Can't my marriage wait until I find someone I can fall in love with?”

Crown Prince Junmyeon rubbed his lips with a gold embossed napkin, “You know why. BBS broke the news about our dealings with the Rothschild family and we need to bury the story with a better, positive story, say, the wedding of the Second Prince.”

Chanyeol shrugged, “Easy for you to say. You got Krystal. And me? Father wants me to marry someone like Min Ah.”

“Min Ah can tell the difference between a Salvatore Ferragamo suit and a Gucci suit at least. A commoner can't do that.” Princess Krystal said snidely, butter in her knife, butter in her mouth. 

Chanyeol and Krystal were of the same age. As children, they had huge fist fights. They could never look eye to eye. But Chanyeol agreed that Krystal had wisdom, and wisdom was must for rulers.

“Thank you for speaking up for Min Ah.” King Jae Suk touched his chest. He was a doting father in law as well. 

Krystal gave her brother in law a lopsided smile, entirely unbecoming of a princess. Prince Junmyeon did not want a share of the Chanyeol-Krystal rivalry over breakfast; he turned his attention towards the television. BBS again, with their anti monarchy agenda. 

“See, that's what I am talking about!” Junmyeon grabbed the remote from beside the bottle of jam and turned the volume up. The BBS correspondent, slimy as he was wily, one Kim Jongdae, was doing a feature on the Royal - Rothschild connection again. “This Jongdae person is after our lives like a leech! I am beginning to worry that people would really begin to see us as BBS is painting us. Cold, calculating rulers.” 

Krystal patted her husband’s forearm and smiled to reassure him. 

Chanyeol turned away from the TV to look at his father squarely in the face. “I cannot be the sacrificial goat for a mess you and grandfather made. I am sorry, father.”

King Jae Suk changed track, “Don't do it for us. Do it for your country. Look how these upstart channels are trying to undermine our legacy! I had a word with the Ministers and they all agree that a royal wedding would be the best PR exercise at this moment. Think.”

Chanyeol was still shaking his head, leaning against the ornate chair, defying his father, the King.

“You and Sehun do not have any regard for my poor ailing heart at all.” Jaesuk grabbed his heart, his glasses turning a little foggy.

“Emotional blackmailing won't work on me either.” Chanyeol pointed out, amused at his father’s antics. 

Jae Suk shook his fist towards the TV screen, “Look, there. They have muddled the minds of youth. There's this Baekhyun boy again, giving his teenage cents about our royal household. I am tired of seeing him in every channel.”

Truthfully speaking, Baekhyun was no teenager, yet his looks belie his age.

Krystal nodded, “Every television channel worth their salt jostle to get Byun Baekhyun’s soundbyte. Son of Nobel laureates after all. His words hold a lot of value in the eyes of our youth.” She glanced at her brother in law, but he was not looking at her, his attention fixed on the screen which was now showing a file picture of the student union leader.

Chanyeol’s eyes were wide, his manner that of one who had sighted his prey. “Byun Baekhyun? The son of physicist Byun Heechul?”

“The same.” Junmyeon nodded, “Better if the son had followed in their footsteps instead of criticising our household like this. See, see, how he speaks of us!”

But Chanyeol was laughing silently. He turned towards his father then, and happily offered him his hand. King Jae Suk accepted the proffered hand and shook it, eyeing his second son suspiciously.

“Congratulations father. I have finally made up my mind to marry.” Chanyeol’s devious eyes gleamed, “Him.” he pointed at the TV screen still showing Baekhyun’s file pic, a bright eyed boy with an even brighter smile in a yellow tee. “I want to marry Byun Baekhyun.”

Three pairs of eyes looked at him as though he had lost his mind. 

“You're kidding, right?” Junmyeon ventured.

“Why would I kid about my life partner?” Chanyeol’s eyes travelled towards the television screen, “That's him. That's my life partner. I will marry him this November.” His eyes were crinkling in mirth.

King Jae Suk gaped at his second son like a fish out of water. “ _This boy?_ Haven't you been paying attention to what he is saying? _He hates royals!_ Why would you want to marry him?”

“Because he looks like someone who knows that Fidel Castro and Che Guevara are two different revolutionaries.” Chanyeol smirked, pleased at the googly he served to his family this early in the morning.

“Fidel Castro. Che Guevara. Byun Baekhyun. What's with you and revolutionaries?” Krystal asked silkily, “Are you trying to throw us off power by going for a same sex marriage? I knew of your _hobbies,_ but I never thought you would make them public thus.”

“My dear sister in law, I am helping father keep his crown. By father’s own admission, my wedding will divert public attention from our connection with the Rothschilds. And all of us know, public memory is short. We also stand to earn brownie points in international media by allowing same sex marriage in the nation. We kill two birds with one stone and be seen as a nation that can gracefully glide into the 21st century. Yes, even with a centuries old monarchy is place.”

“I agree.” Jae Suk nodded, “Junmyeon’s wedding led to a huge increase in our popularity. But why this Byun brat of all people?”

Chanyeol smiled, leaning back in his chair, “Oh that? Well, that's because I am a man of my word. And I intend to keep a decade old promise I made to someone years ago.”

After having a very fulfilling dinner of seafood stew and sticky rice, Baekhyun and Yixing sat on the porch under the yellow light of the bulb. Baekhyun watched as Yixing sewed his torn jeans for him.

“Baekhyun-ah, you need new clothes.” 

Yixing’s own clothes were frayed and old.

“I need none. It's just, sometimes I trip when I run after the ducks. Bah. They are fast runners.”

Yixing clicked his tongue, concentrating on the needle, “Ducks are fast runners? No. You don't know  _ how  _ to run!  _ Halmoni  _ could sprint faster than you, you know, with her hip and all.”

Baekhyun pushed his lower lip out. He poked a finger inside Yixing’s dimple, “Xingie, when I stand on my own two feet, I will take you to Seoul and show you around.”

“You're graduating next semester. You can soon apply for a job. Then you can take me to Seoul and we can escape  _ halmoni’s _ clutches.” Yixing ended with a dramatic whisper which made Baekhyun double up in laughter.

He lay back on the floor not caring about getting dirt on his clothes. “I am very hopeful about my career. I feel like only good things will happen from now on.”

His smile was as bright as the bulb. 

  
  


As if trying to make Baekhyun’s utterance come true, the royal machinery was well in motion that evening. 

King Jae Suk's staff had been pressed into service all throughout the day to find out the details of one Byun Baekhyun. His phone records, criminal records(if any), bank statements, credit card bills, details of past lovers lay open for scrutiny in a neat file on the King’s rosewood desk.

King Jae Suk smirked in spite of himself at the facts. “Aha! Gotcha. Haven't paid credit card bills of the past three months. Aish, this kid. Why can't he work somewhere part time instead of spelling trouble for us?”

His trusted Advisor, Secretary Kim Minseok, who sat in front of him, tried his best to stifle a smile. Minseok was very professional; he was well suited for his role as advisor to the King. 

“Your Majesty, can I be frank with you?” he said softly, reminding the King that there were important matters to discuss.

Jae Suk looked up from the file, “Yes, Minseok. Go on.”

“I don't think this is a very good idea.” He paused to see whether the King was actually listening to him or still sniggering at Baekhyun’s  _ poor choice of past boyfriends. “ _ The boy does not hail from a noble household. He is a commoner. His grandmother owns a vegetable stall!”

“His parents won the Nobel Prize for their contribution in the field of Physics. I think it's a point in Baekhyun’s favour.” King Jae Suk reminded sharply “but carry on.”

“This kid is openly against monarchy, has appeared on television many times to speak ill of us.”

The King raised his finger to pause Minseok in his tracks, “He hasn't spoken ill of the royal family, he simply advocates democracy. There's a difference. But nevermind, go on.”

Minseok hesitated for a bit, clearing his throat. “What I am trying to say is  _ if  _ the second prince were to wed this boy, rather than dousing the Rothschild flames, we might give rise to new scandals.”

King Jae Suk nodded in understanding. “I see.” he simply said. “But judging by this file, this kid has done nothing scandalous in his life so far. He seems a good enough subject, well spoken, well read, articulate, can tell one revolutionary from the other, and for some inexplicable reason Chanyeol is very particular about this, mind you. I suggested Min Ah as his bride, but Chanyeol chose this fellow, straight out of the TV screen. Personally, I can't see the appeal, but Chanyeol has always been headstrong. He gets it from his mother. As a father of two yourself, you understand why my hairs are greying prematurely, don't you?”

Minseok hid his smirk behind his knuckles.

“If I might add, Your Majesty, the decision to allow same sex marriages in our nation with this wedding might be a little too hasty. Should we not consult the Council of Ministers before announcing this in an arbitrary manner?”

“Since when does the King need the permission of the ministers to make a decision on a long pending reform?” King Jae Suk's words were too sharp this time. “Your Second Prince feels this will make us even more popular among the crowd. I think he is absolutely correct. Public opinion means the most to me. My followers in Twitter will go up too, and at the moment, I am lagging behind several world leaders. Did you see that Barack Obama fellow? One single anti racism post of his won him more than 3 million likes. And I daresay, when I give my blessings to my son’s same sex marriage, my post will get 5 million likes. ”

“Ah, yes yes.” Minseok said, at a loss for words, but he was not letting go either, “There’s been no courtship, no dating, and this might seem all too sudden. People may question why this wedding was announced in such a hasty way. They may realise the truth. Everything that you have planned to do from now on till November in honour of the Second Prince’s wedding seems too hasty.”

King Jae Suk seemed to be deep in thought. He spoke after a while had passed, “Minseok, look here. I am an old man. The minute Princess Krystal gives birth to my grandchild, I will crown Junmyeon as my successor. I ruled for forty long years without any drama. Chanyeol already shies away from Korea. He has returned to Seoul after what, three years? I don't want my second son to distance himself from me anymore. The youngest is a rebel as you very well know. He showed me his middle finger the last time he set foot in Seoul! I lost my Queen too early, she would have disciplined my sons, she had that in her. Me? I am just a helpless father, I just do what they say. So don't argue against this wedding, but like a trusted attendant, make this wedding happen. In November. Chanyeol is particular about the month, God only knows why.”

Minseok audibly sighed. The King who made courtiers quake in his presence with his aura was a gentle meowing housecat inside the palace. “Your Majesty, as your trusted servant, I give you my word. The wedding will be a successful affair. I shall personally go through every small detail. However, that being said, there is the small matter of Byun Baekhyun giving his consent to wed the Second Prince. How do you think that you will manage that?”

“Chanyeol wanted to meet the boy and propose marriage, but I stayed him. I, as the ruling monarch of the nation, will ring the boy’s grandmother tomorrow, his sole guardian, and seek her opinion first. Once she agrees to it, I will ask the boy myself. I am a hundred percent sure he will not say no to his King. After he says yes, I will ask Chanyeol to quickly announce news of his betrothal to the nation. Time is of the essence. We must bury the Rothschild story at the earliest. I must not lose any Twitter followers.”

Minseok saw many loopholes in the King’s plan but he sealed his lips. He could tell that the King had his mind made up. 

“Do you have anything else on your mind, Minseok?” the King asked. 

Minseok closed the file, “A small thing. It seems you were already in favour of having Byun Baekhyun as your son in law before consulting me. You don't see any flaw in him.”

King Jae Suk snorted. “His pet name is  _ Bobohu!  _ What sort of a name is that! That is a flaw right there.”

The soon to be father in law waved his hand in denial that he was already fond of Byun Baekhyun, but he did not fool Minseok one little bit.

  
  
  
  


Early next morning,  _ halmoni  _ received a very strange, and silly (according to her) phone call.

“Hello.” she spoke in her thin, quaky voice. The call had come in the midst of her morning tea. She hated being disturbed when she read the newspaper obituaries.

“Good morning, I offer you my respects. This is the King speaking.”

_ Halmoni  _ made a face. Prank calls early in the morning. 

“And this is the Queen.”  _ Halmoni  _ quickly retorted.

Silence.

“I don't think you heard me properly the first time. I am King Jae Suk speaking.”

“King Jae Suk, I am so honoured by your call.”  _ Halmoni  _ mocked, “Kindly go on. What is this about? Is your royal kitchen running low on supply of cabbages and brinjals? I can send a cartful.”  _ Halmoni  _ was blessed with the quick wit that ran in her family. She wouldn't let any prank caller win against her this early in the morning, now would she?

“Err...no no. Royal kitchen seems to be well - well stocked for now. Thank you for your concern. Uhm, this is in regards to your grandson, err, Baekhyun _.” _

_ “Bobohu!” Halmoni  _ screeched, “what has he done this time?” Her eyes narrowed.

“My son, the Second Prince is interested in marrying your grandchild. I, as the monarch 

of the nation, as your King, seek your approval before moving ahead any further in this direction .”

_ Halmoni  _ grinned at the cheek of this prank caller. He was good. “Oh yes. Why not? I don't mind even a slight bit. As dowry, I will offer twenty pigs from my pigsty.”

“Heavens no!” the person on the other line gasped, “Just your  _ Bobohu’s  _ hand in marriage would suffice. Pigs are all yours. As dowry, we only seek your blessings for the young couple. I am happy that you have given your consent to this match. Now, I can proceed to ask Baekhyun’s approval for the marriage.”

  
  


“Hey. You’re doing nothing of that sort.”  _ Halmoni  _ warned, “My  _ Bobohu  _ sleeps until late. No need to disturb him with your  _ offer.  _ I am telling you now, he is fully geared to wed the Prince. In fact he has been begging to marry the Second Prince ever since he could speak. So no further discussion on the topic, deal has been sealed.”

_ Halmoni hung up. _

  
  
  


King Jae Suk put the receiver in its holder and looked up at the expectant eyes of his second, dearly beloved son.

“I say this with utmost respect for my future son in law, but his grandmother seems a little senile to me.”

Chanyeol looked on in anticipation, “What did she say?” 

“She said, and I quote, the deal has been sealed. She also said  _ Bobohu _ has been begging to marry the Second Prince ever since he was a child, or something like that. So I guess all that remains is to announce the happy news to the world.” The King scratched his chin. “But the old lady is definitely cuckoo.”

Chanyeol waved the concern off. His thoughts were centred on the fact that Baekhyun had been dying to marry him since a young age. Consistency, thy name is Baekhyun.

  
  


_ Halmoni  _ totally forgot about the call as she presided over Yixing as he loaded the vegetable wagon. This was her favourite part of the day, to see the produce in all its freshness before it was towed away to the market. At the market square, there was little time to idly stare. That is not to say that  _ halmoni  _ didn't stare at all the nicely dressed village women. 

_ Halmoni  _ could tell which newly married woman was pregnant with a single glance. Experienced eyes, she would boast. 

There was haggling to be done with the purchasers, and  _ halmoni  _ could haggle till kingdom come. How dare someone call her lettuce wilted! How dare someone say the carrots were overpriced! She was the queen of the market and the subjects should be put in place. She gave extra chillies to her loyal customers and hid rotten vegetables in the packets of the new faces.

  
  


Among men, her favourite in the market place was Kwangsoo, the video store owner. Kwangsoo’s wife had recently given birth to twins, just like  _ halmoni  _ predicted. She had great interest in the affairs of the heart. 

It was a busy day at the market.  _ Halmoni  _ would not be forced to recollect the call at all that day. The next day however, all hell would break loose. 

  
  


The Royal Broadcasting Station’s newsroom in the capital city was as busy as  _ halmoni’s  _ marketplace. A call had come from the King’s Secretariat - Prince Chanyeol would make an important announcement the next day and they were to send a team of recording staff to the Palace to cut the announcement live. The King’s Secretariat also directed RBS to livestream the announcement across all their social media platforms. Tickers were to be run at the bottom of the news screen all day that the Second Prince will make an important announcement so that maximum coverage was achieved.

RBS called up its partner channels in other countries to alert them of this development. Prince Chanyeol was a huge name overseas, they adored him. He never made any public appearance in South Korea, and if he was doing so, it must be to disclose something big.

  
  


Kris and Kyungsoo, nicely seated in the comfort of Kris’s cabin overlooking the newsroom, speculated what the announcement could be about.

“Whatever it is, I think it will be huge. Imagine BBS giving us courtesy for taking our video feed. God! I love working for the royals.”

Kyungsoo pondered, “I think the royals are going all out to bury the recent BBS Rothschild story.” 

Kris was skeptical, “That scoop of Jongdae’s has gained so much traction, I doubt the royals can bury it this time.”

“You never know, if Chanyeol is involved, something grand must be cooking. I studied in the same school as him, Kris. He is as wily as they come. If anyone can counter Jongdae, it will be Chanyeol. He looks like an angel but has the mechanics of a devil, alright.”

“How come you never told me you were schoolmates, Kyungsoo.”

“Why would I? You’d think I got this job because I knew him. We’re not friends or anything. He was five years my senior. He changed schools a lot, always kept his identity in the dark. I came to know it's the same Chanyeol when I saw him at the UN climate convention last year. He spoke so well. I still remember the claps. I, for one, am looking forward to his big announcement. Bet it will totally kick Jongdae’s ass. Bet Jongdae is quaking in his humble office.”

Kris was not impressed. “Knowing Jongdae, he’d be cracking knuckles and whispering Game On to himself. Jongdae always liked a good fight.”

  
  
  
  


Baekhyun hated to be woken up by  _ halmoni  _ in the morning. But today was different. Today was an early morning call by a restricted number. He groaned. 

“Hello.” he managed to mumble.

“Am I speaking to Byun Baekhyun?”

“Yes, this is he.” Baekhyun croaked, keeping his eyes closed.

“I am speaking from the King’s Secretariat.” Baekhyun’s eyes flew open. “This is to let you know that the Second Prince will make a public announcement of your wedding at five in the evening. Do not forget to tune in to RBS. Have a good day.”

“Come again?” Baekhyun asked, not managing to catch the words. He had surely heard it wrong the first time. 

“The Second Prince will make a public announcement of your wedding. RBS will broadcast it live at five in the evening.”

“My wedding with  _ who?  _ Who is this? What do you want?” 

“This is Kim Minseok, advisor to the King. This follows the conversation His Majesty had with your grandmother yesterday.”

“Huh?” Baekhyun was a little dazed and a whole lot confused. 

“You are marrying the Prince afterall.” The person at the other line continued. Before Baekhyun could form two sentences, the line went dead. 

“ _ Halmoni.”  _ he cried out, “ _ halmoni.”  _ he screeched.

“Dear God, did you pee on the bed? Why are you creating such a ruckus this early in the morning?”  _ Halmoni _ had a cup of tea in her hand.

  
  


Baekhyun let the slight go. “Why did someone call to inform me about my wedding to a prince?”

  
  


_ Halmoni  _ thought for a few seconds. “Oh wait. I got a similar prank call yesterday. Some joker fellow. Said he was the king and wanted to seek your hand in marriage for his son.” 

“Eh????”

_ Halmoni  _ chuckled, “I gave him a dose of his own medicine. I told him you are jumping in joy to marry the Prince. Hehe.”

Baekhyun frowned. “This caller said the Prince will announce our wedding to the nation this evening. Wow. Some people really take jokes too far.” He shook his head, disappointed with the world.

But something finally clicked inside  _ halmoni’s  _ head. What if it was not a prank call at all!

“Bobohu.” she suddenly adopted a saccharine sweet tone. “Just turn the TV on for me. Put the Royal channel on.”  _ Halmoni  _ dragged the stool right in front of the TV, peering at the still blank screen.

“Don't start with your royals this early in the morning. Seriously it's like a disease with you.” In spite of his reprimand, he did as he was told. 

And imagine the shock of his life. True enough, a ticker was running at the bottom of the screen, letting people know that their second prince would indeed announce something big that evening.

“ _ Halmoni.”  _ Baekhyun managed to utter, pointing at the screen. 

_ Halmoni  _ went pale, her eyes wide with realisation. She was quickly putting two and two together. Yixing chose that moment to casually walk inside Baekhyun’s room. He smiled at their shocked expressions, “I know. I completed my chores so early today. Ha ha.”

_ Halmoni  _ hissed at him. “You fool. Bobohu is marrying the Prince.”

Baekhyun leapt up from the bed, throwing the pillows around “I am not. I am never. And why would a royal want to marry me? There must be some mistake, right Xingie?”

Yixing looked from one to the other, not processing a thing.

Baekhyun’s grandmother was thinking furiously fast. Why would a royal want to marry Baekhyun indeed! She was fond of her grandson, but Baekhyun was no Nam Joo Hyuk or Lee Soo Hyuk. Now those were two very fine specimens. Baekhyun was no graceful swan, he was sloppy and his bones jutted out. He was also very tanned. And what to speak of his hair,  _ halmoni _ thought critically. 

Baekhyun’s hair refused to behave. The only thing going on for him was his singing voice. Her grandson could put the best minstrels in the King's court to shame. 

_ Halmoni  _ left for the market, very perplexed, promising her grandson she would be back well before five.

“This is a mistake right? Right?” Baekhyun kept repeating. Halmoni assuaged her grandson as best as she could, internally hoping it was no mistake. 

“Perhaps the Second Prince is ugly and has small pox marks all over his body?” she said aloud to Kwangsoo’s wife who had come to sit by her side in the market.

The video shop owner’s wife gave her a weird look. “What a strange thing to say on such a bright day  _ halmoni _ .”

Spring was almost upon them and the leaves were the colour of paradise green. 

_ Halmoni  _ chewed her lip thoughtfully, “Would perfectly explain why he has been kept out of public eye.”

Why else would a prince want to marry Bobohu.  _ Halmoni  _ made a number of permutations and combinations in her head. The reclusive Prince must have finished his studies a couple of years ago. No one in her circle had any idea that he was back in the country. 

It was not only  _ halmoni _ who was mulling over the Prince’s announcement. The market was abuzz with speculations too, and for once,  _ halmoni _ could not bear to listen to them. They fell far off the mark. She asked Yixing to close shop early and sell away the produce at cheap rates.

In the end, she concluded that the Second Prince must have somehow seen Baekhyun on TV and fallen for him. That was the only plausible explanation.

When they reached home, it was to find Baekhyun pacing in front of the TV, biting his nails and waiting for the clock to strike five.

He was hoping that this was some horrible mistake, or a misunderstanding, or a tragic coincidence. But  _ halmoni  _ knew better. She only hoped her future grandson in law was as good looking as the other two princes, that was her primary concern - good looks.

“Don't chew your nails!” she reprimanded Baekhyun, “It's unbecoming of royalty.” she grinned.

“Don't say that, please.” Baekhyun pleaded, beginning to frown. “If this somehow ends up being your mistake, I am never going to visit you again.” he threatened.

“I am your only living relative.”  _ halmoni _ screeched indignantly.

“My parents are still alive!” Baekhyun protested.

_ Halmoni _ considered this, before shrugging. “They are living fossils.  _ You  _ shouldn't be like  _ them.” _

_ “I thought you were proud of them!” _

_ Halmoni  _ showed him her stained teeth, “If you marry into royalty, I will be more proud of you.”

“When pigs fly.” Baekhyun mocked, grabbing a pillow from his bed and hugging it. “I can't wait to see your dreams dashed. Must be some other Baekhyun. Cannot be me. Will not be me. You’ll see. You’ll see.”

“Baekhyun is not a very common name.” Yixing pointed out from a corner of the room where he was quietly weaving a basket. 

  
  
  


King Jae Suk's study in the Royal Secretariat had been turned into a makeshift studio. There were lights, camera, and the action was very soon to happen. Prince Chanyeol, used to giving all his speeches suo motu, had refused to take the help of a teleprompter,. 

The Secretariat’s social media staff and well as RBS’ social media team were sitting on one corner of the study, their laptops open, fingers ready to type in alerts as soon as the Prince began. 

Kyungsoo, who was the producer for the evening, hastily went through all the details in his mind. Everything was in order. Kris had just returned to his side after a cigarette break. 

“The Prince looks calm.” Kris whispered in Kyungsoo’s ears. 

Kyungsoo’s palms were damp. “As cool as a cucumber. He refused to use teleprompters. He should have been the Crown Prince.”

Kris silenced Kyungsoo with a withering look, “Hush. Don't you want to keep your job? Don't say that aloud ever again. It's a touchy subject with a few of the royals.”

Kyungsoo swallowed. It was not easy working for the royals. 

But Chanyeol looked almost harmless as he sat with his back straight, striking up a conversation with the makeup lady, waiting for the clock to strike five. He was wearing a white shirt underneath a classic fawn blazer. Not a single hair was out of place. His lucky gold Rolex watch adorned his person. And a smile. The most beguiling of smiles. Royalty loving subjects of South Korea were in for a Chanyeol sized treat this evening. 

As the camera person silently gave the count down when it was five seconds to five, Chanyeol looked directly at the camera.

“Here we go.” Kyungsoo breathed sotto voce. 

“My loving people,” Prince Chanyeol began in his deep voice, his gaze unfaltering, manner confident, the hint of a smile lurking deep within his peeking dimple.

“You may be wondering about the sudden manner in which I have chosen to appear before you.” 

The Prince fully allowed his dimple to function now, smiling wide at his subjects. Like Kyungsoo said, a devil in disguise as an angel. 

“I have a happy news to announce and thought it best to do so in this intimate manner. Truth be told, I cannot wait to share it with the world. I can barely contain my joy, you see.” 

Chanyeol allowed himself to appear bashful, no doubt hooking his subjects with that half chuckle. 

He was good, Kyungsoo thought. 

“My loving people, I have decided to tie the knot this November with my childhood sweetheart.” The Prince paused for effect, he paused for this huge announcement to sink in, eyes dancing as though he could barely contain himself at the thought of his impending wedding.

He was fucking good, Kyungsoo thought. This was huge.

Chanyeol-1, Jongdae-0. 

“My fiancé,” the Prince emphasised the word, “is a commoner. My fiancé is a he. With the announcement of this happy news, same sex marriage now stands legal in our nation.” He smiled again.

Kyungsoo let his breath out. 

Chanyeol-2, Jongdae-0.

“Frankly speaking, I cannot wait to introduce him to everyone. He is kind, benevolent and I am sure he will prove to be an able companion by my side. We met when we were very young - childhood sweethearts, you may call us. We made a pact to marry when we grew up. He asked for a November wedding and I, like any lovelorn person, acquiesced wholeheartedly. The time has now come to make good on that promise. Some of you may know him, most of you may know him. He is my cherished Byun Baekhyun, son of Nobel laureates Byun Heechul and Byun Hani. Yes, he is the one. My one. My betrothed.”

The Prince had stars in his eyes as he talked of his 'one’.

Kyungsoo shook his head. 

Chanyeol - 3, Jongdae - buried underground.

“I come here in front of you with folded hands today, seeking blessings for our conjugal bliss. If a nation of kind hearted subjects bless our union, I believe there is not a single hurdle that we cannot cross. Very soon I will introduce my betrothed to the whole nation and we will once again seek your blessings together. That was all I had to say in this short broadcast. With Baekhyun beside me the next time, I promise to meet you for a lengthier time. I hope he will receive the same unconditional love from you that our royal family has received for more than hundreds of years.” 

The Prince bowed and nodded and he could steal a soul away from the Devil himself tonight. He had a hand to his heart, convincing a nation of 51 million people of his love towards his fiancé. 

“I wish you a good evening. Please keep both of us in your prayers.” With a final wave, the Prince bowed out of the living rooms of his subjects.

As soon as the live feed was cut off, the study erupted in cheers. RBS staff rushed forward to greet and congratulate the Second Prince on his upcoming nuptials. Kris and Kyungsoo distanced themselves from the commotion to speak in urgent tones.

“So, what do you think?” Kyungsoo asked his senior.

Kris gave a dry chuckle, “Cannot wait to meet Jongdae at the Press Club later tonight. I may have to buy him a couple of drinks.” 

Kyungsoo turned to the social media guys, “ What's it look like?” He asked them.

“It’s trending worldwide.” they said. 

As expected. 

“It's exploding!!” another said.

Again, as expected from Second Prince Chanyeol.

  
  


Not very far off from the Palace, at a very upscale neighbourhood, two friends and distant cousins were tasting the bitter taste of defeat.

Donghae quietly turned the TV off. Eunhyuk refused to walk into his arms, choosing instead to pour himself a drink.

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Cousin Chanyeol one upped us again!” Eunhyuk threw the glass of drink against the wall where it shattered into a hundred tiny pieces. Eunhyuk was the firebrand among the two. Donghae was the calm one, the one who had coolly tipped Jongdae off about the Royal-Rothschild connection. 

Donghae got up from his seat to forcibly draw Eunhyuk into a hug. “Hey love. Relax. Relax. We will think of something. Leave it to me.” He peppered Eunhyuk with kisses all over. 

  
  
  


Farther off, across the seas, the Third Prince, Prince Sehun, finished watching the Youtube video of his brother’s wedding announcement for the second time. With distaste. 

His drunk roommate stumbled inside the college dorm smelling of smoke and weed and girls. 

Sehun closed the browser. He reached his hand out, wordlessly asking for a joint. He knew his roomie always kept one in his pockets. 

“God, I need a smoke.” he muttered. 

“You up so late?” His roomie was surprised.

“I had some family matters to catch up on.” Sehun said evasively, reaching under the mattress for his lighter. 

Chanyeol was marrying a commoner in November. That fool. What has the world come to! 

Byun Baekhyun, yes? Sehun took in a long drag. He would make Byun Baekhyun cry. Any toy of Chanyeol would cry. 

He picked up his abandoned cellphone from a corner and called his best friend up.

Princess Krystal picked his call in the third ring.

“Bastard is marrying, eh? Don't tell me it's for something as sentimental as love. I could see through his facade half drunk.”

Princess Krystal’s voice was hushed. “Not love. Statecraft.”

Sehun chuckled. “Ready to welcome your new competition to the palace?”

“Get back from New Jersey. We need to show Baekhyun his place. Give him nightmares.”

  
**


	2. The Prince's Gamble

Baekhyun knew what nightmares were alright. He was living one right now. 

At five PM sharp, the world as he knew it collapsed. He was not being dramatic. Baekhyun was young, very very young. He had not been tainted too much by the cruel paint brush of life’s realities; his mind was still idealistic, still heavily borrowing from the books he read rather than from real life experiences. 

He had been homeschooled for the better part of his 20 years. When he was a child, his parents would stay in remote research labs and take him along with them. These places did not have schools in the immediate vicinity. He was taught his alphabets and arithmetic by his father. He learnt the rest himself with the help of interactive study materials and tutorials. In the absence of people his age, books substituted as friends. 

Theoretically he was sound. At the impressionable age of twelve, when his parents were stationed in Romania (and very busy), Baekhyun dragged a hard bound copy of Virgil’s Aeneid from his father’s shelf and decided to make the book his new best friend. His new book did not turn out to be a very good friend, and Baekhyun did not understand most of what Aeneid tried to say. 

Two months later, Baekhyun stood precariously on top of a wobbly stool and dragged an illustrated copy of The Nibelungenlied from the shelf. For light reading. The dragon slayer Siegfried captured his imagination like no dragon soft toy had ever captured. He was captivated by the sketch of the vengeful Kriemhild, Siegfried's wife. He decided he wanted a life partner as eye catching as her.

One evening over dinner, he asked his parents what marriage was and when could he have his own wedding please? The scientist duo, Heechul and Hani, may have haphazardly explained the social practice, because for the longest time Baekhyun thought that when someone caught your eye, you were supposed to ask them to marry you at the soonest. Children’s minds are very wonderful and peculiar. He believed that once you like someone, there must be no delay in making them yours. And weddings were meant to be held in November because didn't mama say that they had a beautiful November wedding.

Baekhyun was homeschooled by two eccentric persons; please forgive him his early follies.

When he was thirteen, his parents came back to Seoul to participate in a state funded research on particle physics. They had just been awarded the Nobel Prize and were the toast of the nation. Baekhyun found himself in a proper school environment for the first time in his life. He did not struggle to make friends though, mostly because he let his peers have his lunch and copy his homework. Baekhyun was magnanimous that way. If someone liked his Pokemon watch, Baekhyun would promptly unstrap it and hand it over. His parents never noticed if he came home with an item less.

Baekhyun was thirteen; his growth spurt had not yet occurred and his voice was still squeaky. But his hormones had started doing their job. 

When Baekhyun was younger, he wanted a Kriemhild for himself, fair and bold. He did not know he would fall for a Siegfried instead, Siegfried in this case was a high school senior. He was standing on the corridor one fine day, waiting for his friend Kyungsoo to tie his shoe laces, when Baekhyun saw the real life version of the illustrated Siegfried walk by. Tall and princely. Charming and cute. Everything. 

Baekhyun’s mouth fell open. Why was he feeling so jittery and fluttery and whimsical and nonsensical? These were the feelings bards like Shakespeare described as pure love, didn't they? 

The thirteen year old kept his eye out for his real life Siegfried, dragging the unwilling Kyungsoo to the school playground where the seniors often played football. Where Siegfried played football. 

Unable to bear his longing for the senior student one day, a poor innocent Baekhyun walked up to his crush during recess. Kyungsoo followed him nervously, hoping against hope that the tall senior didn't punch them or worse, complain to the Headmaster.

But the senior laughed at Baekhyun’s marriage proposal and ruffled his hair.

“Why do you want to marry me?” Baekhyun’s crush asked, bending quite a bit so that he was level with the younger’s eyes.

“Mama says the quicker you propose to the one you like, the better. She says not to keep someone hanging.” Baekhyun replied in all his innocence. 

The senior laughed some more, good naturedly, not derisively. 

“Your mama is a wise woman. Do you like me?”

“A lot.” Baekhyun nodded boldly. “Because you're like Siegfried. He is my hero.”

His crush paused in his laughter and regarded Baekhyun seriously. “Siegfried? As in,  _ The Song of The Nibelungs _ ?”

Baekhyun nodded. 

“Have you read it?” 

Baekhyun nodded. 

The senior student frowned, “What else have you read?” 

Baekhyun became emboldened under his crush’s warm gaze and especially the pinch in his cheeks. 

“ _ Beowulf _ .”

His crush blinked, and straightened. “You're a very interesting kid. Of course I will marry you.”

“Next November?”

The senior looked lost for words. “Why November?”

“Mama says November weddings make the happiest couples.” 

“Then November it is.” The senior chuckled. 

“You promise?”

“Upon my dragon killing sword.” The senior replied. 

Baekhyun happily skipped away, too shy to even ask his crush his name. Even if he would have asked, Chanyeol would not have revealed his real name. He was incognito. A prince in disguise. A prince who hated publicity. A prince who wanted a normal life. 

Kyungsoo stayed back to clarify on his friend’s behalf. “Baekhyun just joined school. He has been homeschooled up until now. He doesn't know...he doesn't know many things. Please don't complain to the Headmaster. His parents are Nobel winners. Byun Heechul and Byun Hani.” 

Chanyeol stood looking at Baekhyun’s retreating back. He couldn't stop smiling. He fished out expensive looking treats from his pocket. “Here. Share these with Baekhyun. Don't worry. Our marriage pact will not reach the headmaster’s ears. I like being thought of as Siegfried.” Chanyeol winked at the confused looking Kyungsoo and walked away.

Baekhyun’s parents moved to Japan soon after. Chanyeol enquired after Baekhyun when he chanced upon Kyungsoo one day. Kyungsoo just shrugged and informed Chanyeol about Baekhyun’s transfer. Chanyeol too passed out from school that year. He would fly to the United Kingdom that very year. 

The silly marriage pact became a memory, an embarrassing one for Baekhyun and endearing one for Chanyeol. Kyungsoo forgot about it altogether.

Baekhyun had never thought in his wildest dreams that his senior would come back to uphold his end of the promise, much less that the boy would turn out to be a prince. Prince Chanyeol. 

He recognised Chanyeol in a millisecond. Siegfried. Chanyeol. These images were imprinted in his mind. When Chanyeol declared for the whole world to hear that they were childhood sweethearts, Baekhyun’s knees started shaking.

He locked himself up in his room, mostly because Yixing was being too inquisitive about the ‘childhood sweetheart’ thing, and  _ halmoni _ was being a pain, calling innumerable relatives to share the happy news of Baekhyun’s betrothal. He would receive no help from  _ halmoni’s _ end, of that he was sure. 

Baekhyun’s heart was racing fast. Nightmare. Nightmare. Nightmare, he repeated to himself. None of this was true. None of this could be actually happening! He would soon wake up and  _ halmoni _ would be spanking his lazy bum, as per usual. That's right. 

But morning came and the reality did not alter.  _ Halmoni  _ was extra nice to her grandson. 

“My Bobohu is marrying the Second Prince, who is not ugly to look at, thank God.”

Baekhyun shook his head. He would hide away here, he decided. No one would find him here, in these remote hills in the back of the beyond. He could sell vegetables for the rest of his life and raise annoying pigs. But he would not fall into the trap the royal family had set for him. What else could it be if not a trap! 

He could not sit idle worrying for the rest of his life. He needed to divert his attention. Yes, he would clean his grandmother’s entire fruit orchard. Do something fruitful. The Prince can go to pot. 

Baekhyun rummaged through his grandmother’s belongings and pulled out a satin ribbon. He tied his long hair into a pony on top of his head with the ribbon and crawled inside his dirtiest shorts and set about to work, pulling weeds from the ground. 

He pulled the weeds out incessantly, muttering to himself. When an expensive looking SUV pulled in front of his grandmother’s humble abode, Baekhyun did not even straighten from where he sat crouched. Probably someone who wanted to ask for directions to the waterfalls, he thought. He was ready to holler the directions to the scenic spot when the door opened and the Second Prince emerged from the driver’s seat. 

Siegfried, Baekhyun’s traitorous mind went. His heart was a traitor too. It thumped. It would not stop thumping. Was it the sun? Was he suffering a heatstroke? Almost paralysed, Baekhyun sat rooted on spot, clutching a handful of weed he had just pulled out.

The Prince was wearing a Navy suit with a white dress shirt underneath. No tie. No bowtie. 

Baekhyun wet his lips, his brows creasing in worry. A prince indeed, he thought. 

The Prince carefully opened the rickety wooden gate and effortlessly walked to the side of the house where he had no doubt spotted Baekhyun bent at work.

The sunglasses came off when the Prince crouched next to Baekhyun. 

The large, lotus bud shaped eyes confused Baekhyun. He could not bring himself to return the smile that the Prince was bestowing on him that bright spring day. 

Wordlessly, Chanyeol pulled out a small box from his pocket and extracted a ring. Baekhyun hesitated when Chanyeol plucked his dirty hand but surprisingly, the Prince had a firm hold. He tried to stop the Prince from slipping the ring in his finger but did not know the protocol of speaking to a prince. Was it speak when you are spoken to? Baekhyun had no idea. 

Once the ring was in its rightful finger, Chanyeol took a careful look at Baekhyun, assessing him. Baekhyun colored under the frank gaze, his eyes not able to hold it. 

Chanyeol untied the ribbon from Baekhyun’s hair with a slight tug and wound it around his ring finger. “I will accept this as a token of our betrothal.” he finally spoke. 

“I did not agree to this marriage.” Baekhyun blurted out at the first opportunity, his eyes wide , face contorted in panic. “My grandma thought it was a prank call.”

The Prince’s perfect face creased into a frown, somehow adding to his charm.

“What is this? What are you speaking of?”

“It's true. I - I didn't give my assent.”

The Prince sat himself comfortably on the grass beside the crouched Baekhyun. The sun shone particularly bright that day but Chanyeol did not seem to mind. “So you mean to tell me that I have announced the wedding in front of the entire world but my groom isn't ready to marry me?”

Baekhyun moistened his lips, feeling the mud dry on his skin. “When your father, the King called,  _ halmoni  _ thought it was a prank call. She just played along.”

“Played along..” Chanyeol repeated, trailing off, deep in thought, his brows furrowed still. His eyes surveyed Baekhyun’s manner closely. He trailed lovely, long, well manicured fingers through his dark hair. 

Baekhyun waited in anticipation, the ring Chanyeol had put on him an odd weight on his finger. The Prince nodded then; he seemed to have made his mind up about something. 

Then, Chanyeol's eyes twinkled. “I seem to recall you proposing marriage to me at school. I made a promise to you then. I only wish to keep my promise. As Second Prince of the nation. I am bound by that promise.” 

Baekhyun gaped. “I was very very young then.” he protested. “I didn't know the ways of the world, I was homeschooled all through my early years.” He was really vexed at the determined manner of the Prince. “What I am trying to say is,” he pressed, wringing his hands, “I thought we like someone and we decide to marry them and the earlier the better. I was a kid.”

Chanyeol nodded, picking up his handkerchief from the grass and wiping some dried off mud from Baekhyun’s cheeks. “ _ You _ were a kid. I wasn't.”

“Oh c’mon.” Baekhyun pushed Chanyeol’s hand away, “Are we really going to pretend that you want to marry me solely for that childish promise you made way way way back?”

Chanyeol blinked, “Baekhyun, you hurt my feelings. Of course yes.”

Baekhyun had had enough of the patronising tone, “Tell me the real reason why you want to marry me, out of the blue. You don't even know me. Tell me why everything was done in such a hurry. Who arranges a marriage, a  _ royal  _ marriage over the phone, huh?”

Chanyeol tried wiping the dust off again. “You are my betrothed. I will be a hundred percent truthful to you. My family is after my life, trying to get me to marry. They searched and searched, but no one caught my eye, until of course, you came along. I thought, if I absolutely must marry someone, I would rather marry you. You seemed like the best option, truly.”

Baekhyun sighed, sitting more comfortably. Chanyeol did the same. “See, Prince, people like us, commoners, marry for love. You don't love me. I don't love you. Why should we marry?”

Chanyeol chuckled, “I can give a hundred reasons why you should marry me.”

“I am totally against monarchy.” Baekhyun declared.

Chanyeol made an impatient noise, “Listen to me. You are young, I can see that your head is full of idealistic nonsense. Understandably so. But I am older than you and I have traversed the world. Take it from me, even as monarchs, we are doing better than many so called democracies. Monarchy provides a stable form of government. A stable government brings in policies for the long term, which in turn benefit our subjects. This demand for a democratic set up is foolish and will not be met, not for another century at least.”

“I still can't see the appeal of marrying you.” Baekhyun said in his brutally honest way.

“I promise you Baekhyun, should you agree to marry me, I will donate hundreds and thousands tonnes of rice to the starving children of South Sudan and Somalia. In our name. In the happy occasion of our wedding. They will not go hungry for another year at least. And if you so wish, we can continue the tradition. I will set up a Fund in your name. Don't you want the children to be well fed?”

Baekhyun’s mouth went agape. The Second Prince was bribing him into marriage!

“What else do you want? What are your other concerns?”

“Education for children in Haiti, Ethiopia, Congo.” Baekhyun threw, wanting to see what Chanyeol would say to this.

“Done.” the Prince affirmed. “We will join hands with UNICEF and collect funds for the children. I give you my word as Prince, all gifts and proceeds from our wedding will go to UNICEF. Anything else?”

“I don't want the poor to get poorer and the rich to get richer.”

Chanyeol stifled a giggle, “You are asking for too much, my socialist revolutionary. I cannot promise you the moon. In the current set up, the rich  _ will  _ get richer. I am a Prince. I am not God. However, I do promise to bring in more reform measures for the poor. Are you satisfied now?”

“What about love?” Baekhyun bit his lip.

Chanyeol looked a little taken aback at the question. He pondered. “Well, how about this?” he said after thinking hard. “How about we really tend to our garden and water it and maybe love shall blossom?”

“Do all royals marry for the sake of convenience?”

Chanyeol’s eyes blazed, “I don't know about you, little revolutionary, but for me, this, getting married to you, is me escaping a marriage of convenience. I  _ chose _ you. I wish to  _ lay claim.  _ And, as God is my witness, I will try my hardest to make you fall for me before November. I hope you do fall for me. A loveless marriage is very daunting.”

Baekhyun blushed at the intensity behind the Prince’s words. He was glad his cheeks were muddied. 

“No,  _ this  _ is daunting. Suddenly being the toast of the nation is daunting. Thank God it is the back of the beyond or reporters would be at my doorstep. Getting married to you is daunting. And November is just, not - not even a year away. I can hardly collect my thoughts. All this is too much and too sudden.”

Chanyeol found the boy’s explanation incredibly endearing. “Don't hesitate at all. This is my number. Please think carefully of your decision and call me tomorrow morning with your answer. I will wait for your reply. If you say no, I won't pursue this alliance any further. You may keep this ring as a token of my affection. But know that it would make me incredibly happy if you say yes. I hope you say yes.”

The second prince, handsome and out of place in  _ halmoni’s  _ backyard, lifted Baekhyun’s dirty wrist and kissed it without breaking eye contact. It was so romantic, Baekhyun was melting on the spot. 

“I am not marrying you out of spite for my family’s wishes to marry a girl of noble birth. You shouldn't spite my offer either, just because you are against monarchy. I swear I will be a good husband.”

Baekhyun grasped the card which the Prince offered, not saying a thing. He was all kinds of confused. He stood up when the Second Prince did the same, standing awkwardly in his grandmother’s orchard. 

The Prince gave him a long, hard look. “Think about it.” the royal said with a hint of a smile. And then he strode off. 

Baekhyun’s cheeks were warm. He covered his mouth with his hand soundlessly as the SUV pulled out of the narrow lane. The cool of the ring brushed against his lips. He immediately uncovered his mouth, staring at the ring. 

Oh no! Oh no! He despaired. Will he be murdered in cold blood if he said no? 

Baekhyun grasped his hair and paced around the orchard, his stomach doing flip flops. Such a quandary! 

“You should just say no. It's as simple as that.” Yixing advised when he discovered Baekhyun laying flat on the grass. He had come home to quickly collect a sackful of potatoes. 

Baekhyun covered his face with his hands. 

“What? Don't want to say no?” Yixing prodded, hoisting the jute bag full of potatoes on his back.

Baekhyun rolled on the grass. “Why did he have to be Siegfried? Why? Why? Why couldn't he be ugly?”

Yixing looked at him curiously, “The sun got to you, I think.”

“Xingie, you don't understand.” Baekhyun thrashed about in the grass. He would itch all over that night. “He was my first crush. Siegfried. And now he is a Prince! And he wants to marry me and he put a goddamn ring in my finger and he wrapped  _ halmoni _ ’s ribbon in his. What do I do? What do I do?”

Yixing’s back was beginning to hurt from carrying the sackful of potatoes. “Say yes, I guess?” he offered, confused at Baekhyun’s behaviour. 

“I don't want to say yes.” Baekhyun sat up.

“Then say no?”

“I don't want to say no either.” Baekhyun blushed, then pouted at Yixing for making him blush. His grandmother’s helper gave him a weird look and walked off. 

Fact. Baekhyun did not want to turn Chanyeol’s offer of marriage down. Why? He didn't know. But the idea of getting married to Chanyeol was growing on him against all reason. Don't get him wrong. If it was anybody other than his childhood crush, he would have rather run off than marry. But it was Siegfried, and Baekhyun’s tummy was doing odd-not-so-bad lurches at the mere thought of marrying him. 

True. It was overwhelming and all too sudden and what not, and no doubt the Prince had some hidden agenda of his own, but if Baekhyun was being completely honest with himself, he did not want to say no to the marriage. The Second Prince had effortlessly charmed him in under ten minutes.

Okay, why was he fooling himself? He wanted to marry Chanyeol! 

Baekhyun took a cool shower at the epiphany. He took turns to feel giddy, gleeful, embarrassed, shocked, and suspicious.

  
  


On the way to the helipad, Chanyeol directed the driver to make a stop at the market square. Minseok, who had accompanied him in the whirlwind trip, pointed to a silver haired lady behind an array of colourfully arranged vegetables. 

“That's her. Byun Hyoyeon.”

Chanyeol got out of the car, immediately grabbing everyone’s attention. But he had his sunglasses and a face mask on, people would not immediately recognise him, would they?

But Byun Hyoyeon instantly did. And grinned. Chanyeol grinned back. She allowed him to lead her to a nondescript corner of the bustling market. 

_ “ _ My grandson is very lazy and lousy. Are you sure you want such naughtiness in your hands?”

The old lady peered into the eyes of the Second Prince. Definitely the best looking prince, she decided. “He is very headstrong.” she added. “He may not agree to the marriage.”

“I think he will. I am on my way back from meeting him.”

_ Halmoni  _ liked the Prince’s confidence.

“Baekhyun told me that you thought it was all a joke. I felt it imperative to come and seek your blessings once again.”

_ Halmoni _ was impressed. But her eyes were hard, “Do you promise to take care of my Bobohu?”

“I do.” Chanyeol said without missing a beat, and  _ halmoni’ _ s old eyes saw no deceit. “I will protect him.”

“Will you do your best to keep him happy?”

“I will leave no stone unturned to fulfill all his wishes.” Chanyeol had a hand on his heart.

_ Halmoni _ had a final question to ask. “Out of all the people you could have chosen, why my Bobohu?”

Chanyeol looked directly at  _ halmoni _ ’s seeing eyes. “Your grandson has managed to make me happy just by existing. I cannot even begin to imagine how happy he would make me if he smiled for me, laughed for me, and existed for me. That's the truest answer I have given anyone in my life. I hope you understand.”

_ Halmoni  _ nodded. She was old and wise. She knew such things. She had herself married for love. Who was she to deny anyone their chance at love?

“Then I have no objection to this union at all.”

Chanyeol bowed, taking his leave.

_ Halmoni  _ called out to him when he had taken a few steps.

“Baekhyun’s parents. Baekhyun can never say no to them. Just a hint from an old woman.”

Chanyeol chuckled and bowed again.

  
  


Chanyeol was introspective on their way back to the capital. Secretary Minseok did not pry. He let the Second Prince be. Chanyeol was as reasonable a prince as Junmyeon, never causing any kind of trouble for the Crown. This wedding with a commoner was the wildest thing the Prince had proposed, and initially Minseok had been apprehensive. 

But that was before he observed the said commoner from the tinted windows of the SUV. Byun Baekhyun was a child! Minseok had no way of knowing what the Prince and his fiancé had talked about in the orchard of all places, but his misgivings about Baekhyun had been allayed. 

Byun Baekhyun was built like a child. 

Baekhyun had remained seated on the ground all throughout. No pretensions, Minseok could tell. Not wily. Not a scoundrel. 

And when Chanyeol pulled the ribbon from the boy’s hair and wrapped it around his ring finger, the driver and Minseok had exchanged knowing smiles. 

He wished the Second Prince a happy marriage.

It was for this reason that, at Chanyeol’s behest, he tried his level best to find the current whereabouts of Byun Heechul and Byun Hani, and how best to contact them at the earliest. 

They were at an underground Research Facility at South Dakota in the US where cell phones were prohibited. Gravity, galaxies, dark matter, it was all Greek to Minseok. It took much diplomatic wrangling to speak to the Chief of the Research Facility and for Chanyeol to be able to speak to the two leading scientists busy with what they called 'weakly interacting massive particles’ 

Chanyeol was all smiles after his talk with his soon to be in laws. 

  
  
  


Kris was all smiles too, at the drunk Jongdae. They had been professional pals for a while now, and loved to share drinks and chatter at the Press Club after hours. 

“Don't be too hard on yourself. I am sure if you keep on covering the royal announcement, BBS will continue to have higher ratings than RBS.”

Jongdae made a wry face and signalled the waiter for a refill. “I hate being outsmarted. I still have some follow up to do on the Rothschilds story.” 

“But that’ll still be second tier news.” Kris motioned to the huge television plastered on the wall. “Everywhere you look, it's the Prince and his royal wedding.”

Jongdae rolled his eyes, “I have known Baekhyun for a while now. This ‘childhood sweethearts’ angle won't sell at my doorstep. They think they'll bury my story with a phony love story! I will get to the bottom of this.” He was beginning to pull his cellphone out when Kris stayed him. 

“I won't presume to know everything about the royals, Dae. But -” Kris pushed the cellphone back in Jongdae’s pocket, “You don't want to mess with the Second Prince. Oh, and another advice Dae, since we are professional friends and all. Do not go after his fiancé. I don't know Baekhyun at all, but I was there when the Prince talked about his betrothed. You did not see the mad admiration dancing in his eyes.”

Jongdae freed his hand from Kris’ hold. “Thank you for the advice. I may not take it though.”

Kris shrugged. “Up to you, Dae. I thought it best to warn you. Prince Chanyeol is no King Jae Suk. His benevolence does not stretch as far as his father.”

  
  
  


Baekhyun was feigning sleep. He had been quiet all throughout dinner. He did not tell his  _ halmoni _ that the Prince had visited him, and his  _ halmoni _ , in turn, hid the fact that the Prince had turned up at the market square.

Byun Hyoyeon noisily approached her grandson’s bed and sat beside him. She ran her fingers along Baekhyun’s tousled hair. Her grandson was such a sweet child, he deserved the best. Halmoni was an excellent judge of character, she knew the Second Prince was more than met the eye. But she also knew that he would keep his word, he would give the world to Baekhyun.

“Bobohu?”

“Hmm?” Baekhyun mumbled after a while. 

“I was there when you were born. All pink and wrinkled. A crybaby. I gave you your first bath.” Baekhyun eased into  _ halmoni _ ’s warm touch. He loved his grandmother too. Very much. “Your Prince came to see me this afternoon. He seems like a genuine person, clever, but genuine.”

“What did he say?” Baekhyun sat up, curious.

“Just, you know, that he will take care of you and keep you happy. I gave him my blessings.”

“But  _ halmoni _ , I don't know him at all. He could be crazy for all we know. I mean - he is crazy enough to want to marry me!”

Halmoni didn't reply, but smiled instead. “Bobohu, listen well. I say this to all the girls at the market, and I will say this to you too. Until you marry someone, you never know their true nature, no matter if you have dated for ten years. It's a fact. Compatibility is sadly tested only after marriage.”

“That's not what I meant.” Baekhyun protested. “I was worried about his lifestyle. I don't know a thing about him. What if he is a drunkard? What if he hits me?” Or worse still, “What if he marries me, then completely ignores me?”

_ Halmoni _ patted Baekhyun, “You don't have to worry about the Prince, I think. He can't be so cruel as to raise a hand on you. Although, a little bit of light spanking in bed is always good.”

“ _ Halmoni! _ !”

“Worry about fitting in. Worry about learning to be a part of the royal family. About Chanyeol, child, you met him today, didn't you? Did it seem like he could be cruel to you?”

“No.” Baekhyun shook his head. Even all those years ago, he remembered Chanyeol being thoughtful and kind. The memory of him proposing marriage to the Prince made Baekhyun squirm. Oh God! He was so stupid. But Chanyeol had been nothing but the absolute sweetest. Like the handsome hero straight out of the  _ Nibelungenlied _ . 

He sighed, just as his phone screen lit up. 

A message from an unknown number. From Prince Chanyeol!

The Second Prince had sent him a video. Under halmoni’s watchful gaze, Baekhyun pressed the play button on the video.

He was surprised and awestruck when the two persons he missed the most called out to him.

“Our Baekhyun is happy, right? Our Baekhyun-ah is healthy, right?” His mother waved at him. 

“We heard you are getting married to the Prince! You couldn’t shut up about your own marriage when you were young. Remember?” His father.

“We are very pleased to hear the good news. The Prince is very handsome.” His mother.

Baekhyun nodded at the screen, at his mother waving joyfully at him, still very pretty in spite of the greying hair.

“We are sorry we cannot be there for you right now. We are going to test a prototype particle detector in the coming months. Isn't it huge, Baekhyun-ah? I am sure you are as excited as us. Oh, and the wedding. We promise to be there for the wedding. Your Prince called us and was adamant about us filming a congratulatory video for you. We can't call, we aren't supposed to use cellphones but your Prince made this happen. He must love you so. Be good, Baekhyun. We love you. Congratulations. Sorry we are not there. But if this prototype works, we will be closer to detecting dark matter’s properties. Isn't it great, son?”

Baekhyun nodded at the screen, his eyes fogging with happy tears at being able to see and hear from his parents. 

His father filled the view. “The Prince says he can send us your message. So record a video for us as well. Quick. We have to get back to our calculations.” His father made finger hearts and the video ended. 

Baekhyun wiped his tears away.  _ Halmoni  _ was doing the same. If only parents were just parents and had no scientific obligations to the world. 

He went to the Video Recorder option of his phone and stared into the camera with his red eyes and nose. “I miss you.” he said, his face contorting. “I haven't seen you since I started college. It's been almost 3 years, do you even realise? Just come see me. I miss you so much.” 

Baekhyun ended the video because his voice was beginning to break. He sent the video to the Second Prince without checking it first. 

_ Halmoni _ hugged him. She smiled because the Prince had heeded her word and gone off in search of Baekhyun’s parents. He would make a good husband, she could just tell.

  
  


It was 3 AM in morning, but Chanyeol had still not fallen asleep. He kept replaying Baekhyun’s video. And smiling at the red nose and pouty lips and scrunched face.

Oh! 

  
  


He kept checking his phone the next day; no reply from Baekhyun yet. What should he make of this? Chanyeol waited until half the day had gone by to make his move. 

“Are you having trouble making up your mind?” he cheekily messaged the boy.

But no reply came and Chanyeol begun to panic by evening. He sat in his study, going over paperwork and answering correspondence. But his mind was elsewhere.

“Earth to Chanyeol.” Leeteuk said, snapping his fingers. His private secretary had sneaked up on him.

Leeteuk and Chanyeol enjoyed a comfortable friendship. The Second Prince had met the smooth talking Leeteuk in Cambridge during a friendly cricket match. He could see that Leeteuk would be quite the man for the secretarial job. Leeteuk agreed to be his secretary on one condition, that he would never have to address Chanyeol as Prince. Chanyeol readily agreed. 

“Baekhyun has not yet answered.” 

“It is a huge decision. Give him some time. Isn't it a good thing he isn't fawning over you just because you're a Prince?”

“I don't know, Leeteuk. Somehow, I feel nervous.”

“I have never seen you nervous in all the time I have known you. Where’s the young man who hit straight sixes off his bat without any fear of being caught out? Do you want me to call Baekhyun up for you, and note his answer down?”

Chanyeol didn't know if Leeteuk was joking or plain serious.

Leeteuk promptly picked up the receiver and dialled Baekhyun’s number, even as Chanyeol looked on. “Hello, this is Chanyeol’s private secretary. Am I speaking to Byun Baekhyun?”

The voice at the other end was musical. “Oh! What is it?”

“Chanyeol is waiting for your answer.” Leeteuk smiled.

“Oh? Oh yes, I haven't replied yet. Could you please tell him that -”

“Why don't you tell him yourself? Here, let me hand the receiver to him.” Leeteuk pushed the receiver in Chanyeol’s hands.

“I - wait. No -”

“Hello?” Chanyeol’s deep voice made the boy stop short.

“Prince?”

“Go on. What were you saying?”

There was silence at the other end. Chanyeol waited for Baekhyun to form his words. 

“Prince, I mean no disrespect to you. I have no doubt of your good intentions but - but I don't see myself as someone who can wed into the royal family. I hope you understand.”

Chanyeol's eyes met Leeteuk’s. “You are turning me down.” he stated. 

“I am. And I am sorry?” The voice was barely a whisper.

Chanyeol chuckled softly into the receiver. “There is absolutely nothing to be sorry about. I hope you lead a healthy life, Baekhyun. Also, if you change your mind about this, I will be happiest to know.”

A pause. “Goodbye Prince.”

“Take care, Baekhyun.”

  
  


Leeteuk watched without word as Chanyeol kept the receiver in the holder and let out a sigh. 

“What now?” Leeteuk asked, no doubt alluding to the big announcement that had already been made. The secretary was having trouble believing that Chanyeol let the boy go just like that. Chanyeol never let anything go without a fight. 

“Well,” Chanyeol shrugged, face carefully masked, “There's nothing else to do other than to let people know.”

Leeteuk looked suspiciously at Chanyeol, this was so unlike the Prince.

“Your father would be quite devastated at the turn of events. He had already formed a team of municipal officials to begin preparatory landscaping work in the city for the upcoming wedding.”

Chanyeol shook his head, juggling the paper weight he had plucked from his desk. “Let the King prepare for the royal wedding. We don't want to halt any of that.”

“We don't?’ 

Chanyeol smiled. “We don't. In the meantime, we should make our own preparations. There is not much time till evening prime time news. We should act in haste. Leeteuk, please plant a story that my wedding has been called off. Make sure it airs everywhere except our own channel. And when people call my office for confirmation, politely decline to comment.”

Leeteuk’s eyes lit up. “What do you have in mind?’ 

“You’ll see. You’ll see. The stakes are too high Leeteuk, and I want my prize. Did you think I would let go without a fight?”

Leeteuk was already calling Kris up, “Not even for a second.”

  
  
  


Kris was writing an editorial for an evening daily, a favour for a friend, when he got the call from Prince Chanyeol’s Secretariat. Now Leeteuk was a man to his liking, calm, composed and very capable. They had formed a working camaraderie in the past few months.

“Is this about the wedding package we aired this evening? I swear an intern was handling that, and if you are not happy with the pics of Byun Baekhyun, that's because we couldn't find better ones.”

“Package, what package?” Leeteuk sounded confused.

“The wedding special we ran about half an hour ago. Did you not call for that?”

Leeteuk sputtered. “If you think my work includes monitoring the Prince’s content in the TV, I don't think you have a proper grasp of what I do.”

“He he he. Did I offend you?” Kris chewed on the butt of his cigarette, “I know. I know. You are the Prince’s right hand man. So tell me, to what do I owe this pleasure?”

Leeteuk sighed, “Don't we all exist to do the bidding of the royals? I am asking you to do something slightly unethical this once.”

“I am all ears.” Kris expertly spat the cigarette butt out on the ashtray. 

“Plant a story for me, will you?”

“Uh huh. Go on.”

“The story goes thus, the Second Prince’s wedding has been cancelled.”

“WHAT? Are you - are you kidding me?”

“Not at all. I won't confirm the veracity of this, but I want you to plant this story.”

“The Prince will be the butt of everyone’s jokes, Leeteuk. BBS, Kim Jongdae would rip him apart.” 

“Ours not to reason why, ours but to do and die.” Leeteuk quoted Sir Alfred Lord Tennyson tiredly, “please alert your contacts.”

Kris laughed, “Did the Prince put you up to this? What's the Prince planning?”

“Who knows?”

  
  
  


Baekhyun felt terrible turning the Prince down, especially since he had been so sweet about the whole thing. A messy affair is what it was. A stupid misunderstanding. He did not tell his grandma of his deed, but carefully slid the engagement ring off his finger. Funny how he had worn it till then. 

The Second Prince wanted Baekhyun to keep it as a token, and maybe he will. Or maybe he wouldn't. Either way, the gold ring looked sad to sit alone on the bedside table. Baekhyun carefully plucked it up again with shaking fingers and held it close to his eyes with his index finger and thumb.

There were letters engraved in the ring. 

_ Deus nos iunxit.  _

Baekhyun knew the meaning behind the Latin phrase.

God joined us. 

Baekhyun clutched the ring in his palm. He felt a shiver run along his body. God. Fate. His heart was beating erratically. Sentimental fool, he chided himself. 

Yixing came and brought him his favorite evening snacks - rice crackers and shrimp snacks, but Baekhyun shook his head at the very sight of food. It was very uncharacteristic of him to do so, which is why Yixing stared. Bobohu and food were soulmates, everyone knew that.

“Upset tummy again?” he enquired, plopping down on the floor and helping himself to Baekhyun’s share.

“Upset. Simply.”

“Nervous because of your wedding?”

Baekhyun looked at Yixing’s face, an honest face. He didn't feel like lying to Yixing.

“Go away.” he groaned, slipping the ring on.

“It's my room you decided to hole away in, Bobohu. You should leave instead.” Yixing finished Baekhyun’s snacks and left only then. But he was back after five minutes. “Hurry. You're in the news.”

  
  


Baekhyun’s grandmother looked up at him sharply when he entered the room . “Why are they saying your wedding has been called off?” Her voice was shrill, and she looked at her grandson sharply.

Baekhyun turned his attention to the TV screen. 

“We still haven’t received a confirmation from either the Second Prince, or Byun Baekhyun. However, there are reports trickling in that all is not well in the Palace. The royal wedding appears to have been called off. We take you live to our reporter, Kim Jongdae, who is stationed outside the Northern Palace. Jongdae, what is the latest that you can tell our viewers about the Royal wedding?”

The very familiar face of Kim Jongdae came in view. The camera panned to show the stately Northern Palace, and then came to rest on Jongdae.

“If reports are to be believed, King Jae Suk is holding a meeting with officials as we speak to plan ahead for the November wedding. However, trouble seems to have brewed in the lovers’ paradise. I have received news from a very credible source that the wedding has been called off. And true enough, Prince Chanyeol was seen exiting the Palace this evening on his way to the Eastern Palace. And the blue ribbon tied around his ring finger was missing. This is the same blue ribbon which was seen tied around the Prince’s ring finger at the luncheon hosted by the Prime Minister earlier today. Fans of the Chanbaek couple had earlier speculated that the blue ribbon might be the substitute for an engagement ring, or a promise, or an object which holds some deep meaning for the couple.”

  
  


Baekhyun felt his grandmother’s eyes on him. In order to avoid her questioning stare, he pulled his cellphone out of his pocket. 35 missed calls from Kim Jongdae. A single message from the reporter -  _ Is it true your wedding has been called off? Please confirm. _

“Why do you think the wedding has been called off?” the anchor asked Jongdae.

“At this point, it's pure speculation. Byun Baekhyun may have got cold feet at the thought of marrying into royalty, and Prince Chanyeol does have a formidable reputation. Or he may not have liked the sudden, meteoric rise to fame. Either way, it is Prince Chanyeol who has ended up looking like a fool. As you may recall, he announced the news of his betrothal on national television. While it seemed like a romantic gesture at the time, and did win him many hearts, on retrospect, I am sure the Prince must be regretting his move. We haven't received a confirmation from his Secretariat. We also tried to get in touch with Byun Baekhyun to know his side of the story but he is not responding either.”

“Do you think this flip flop by the Royal will prove adverse to his popularity?”

“It is too early to tell. It all depends on the explanation they come out with. But right now, one thing is for certain. The credibility of Prince Chanyeol’s words to the nation has certainly taken a beating and I highly doubt whether he would make any public appearance soon. If my guess is correct, which it usually is, it will fare well for him if he just returns to his base - the United Kingdom, where he had acted as this nation’s ambassador for the last couple of years.”

  
  
  


It was not yet dinner time but the Royal family was gathered around the dining table, watching the news unfold as they sat waiting to be served. 

“Chanyeol-ah, please explain this.” King Jae Suk looked frazzled and tired. “Here I am, making plans with my staff for beautification of the city ahead of your wedding. Tell me I am not exerting myself in vain, and at this age too.”

Junmyeon sought to allay their father, “It's BBS. What can you expect from them? They are cooking stories up to maintain their ratings. If there was anything of this sort going on, Chanyeol would have alerted us first, and damage control measures would have been in place.” His wise eyes were on his younger brother.

Chanyeol hummed. “Trust me. This is a pre emptive damage control measure.”

“You saw this coming?” Junmyeon asked.

“I engineered this.”

They looked up as Princess Krystal emerged from the door which led to the kitchens. She took especial pride in her culinary skills. “Dinner in ten minutes. Are we ready for the Gujoelpan? I made it myself.”

Her eyes fell on the TV, “What's - what's going on?” Her eyes narrowed as they rested on her brother in law. Chanyeol eyed her lazily. “ **_Prince Chanyeol and Byun Baekhyun’s royal wedding called off!”_ ** she read the headlines plastered on the screen out aloud. “What game are you playing Chanyeol?”

“Please ask him.” King Jaesuk behooved his daughter in law. His sensible daughter in law. The only sensible person in the family. “I am on the edge of sanity as it is.”

“Please bring in the Gujoelpan. I am hungry. Brother is too. Father would be too, as soon as he lays eyes on your delightful cooking. As for Jongdae, well, let's see how far he gets to entertain us tonight.”

  
  


Jongdae didn't get to go too far. They had just taken their first bites of the thin pancakes when Jongdae drew everyone’s attention to his cellphone. “Folks, Byun Baekhyun has finally replied. I will quote aloud from his message -”

Chanyeol abandoned his fork. For the first time that night, he was nervous. What would Baekhyun reply? Did his gamble really pay off? Was he correct in reading the boy? His heartbeat steadied when he saw Jongdae’s face fall. 

A smirk appeared when Jongdae had to cough on national television.

“ _ Dear Jongdae _ ,” the reporter read aloud, “ _ Wherever did you hear these rumours from? The wedding is very much on _ .”

King Jae Suk cheered and Junmyeon banged the table. Only Krystal looked at Chanyeol knowingly. The Second Prince shrugged at her and called Leeteuk up. “You know what to do.” he said. “Send correspondent Kim Jongdae a confirmation from our side as well.”

Kim Jongdae’s face turned ashen as he read the message from Leeteuk aloud. 

“The private secretary of Prince Chanyeol has responded as well -  _ Dear Mr Kim Jongdae, in reply to your query asking if the royal wedding has been called off, I take great pleasure in informing you that the wedding is very much on and will take place as scheduled. In November. You are cordially invited to attend the ceremony. _ ”

Chanyeol laughed out loud, letting his tension leave by way of laughter. 

Krystal forked her brother in law. “Always playing with fire.” she admonished.

But Chanyeol did not mind. He was going to wed Baekhyun afterall. And all was right with the world.

  
  


It was not until much later, when he had readied himself for bed, that he thought to read the messages in his inbox. There was one from Baekhyun.

Chanyeol smiled to himself as he read the message -  _ I am sorry for the trouble I caused.  _

The Second Prince sent a quick reply - _ You know I don't seek any apology. I only seek your heart.  _

  
  


Baekhyun sat up on his bed, his cheeks warming up. Flirtatious Prince, he thought grumpily. He was feeling a little ditzy, which is why he sent a cocky reply - _ You shall have my heart the day you win it.  _

_ ** _


End file.
